What's going on in 2056?

If you'd prefer to get an idea of the issues swirling around the year our game will be set, I have two links for you.

This is the Shadowrun wiki entry for the year

Here's an alternate take, focus on fan-created issues like what's going on over in Hawaii

The Big List of Important Things Everyone Would Know:

It's an election year, the President of the United Canadian and American States and the office of President of the Confederated American States are both up for grabs.  In the UCAS, Thomas Steele and James Booth are running for re-election.  Both are running on the Technocratic ticket: Technocrats line up with the modern Democratic platform, are liberal and progressive and seek to find ways to stimulate the growth of technology and integrate it into modern society.

Thomas Steele was never voted into office, he was Vice President under Alan Addams.  When Addams passed away suddenly due to a heart attack in the middle of his term, Steele took over the presidency and tapped Booth, the former Secretary of State, to be his VP.

In the Confederated American States, Edna Wallace, the current President, is stepping down this year.  Wallace is a Southern Democrat and has served two successful terms in office - which are the term limits for President of the CAS.   The CAS saw its 20th Anniversary during the Wallace's second term in 2054.  Wallace is the first female President of the CAS and the first President to serve two full terms in office and is widely considered to be the most popular and successful President so far in the CAS, she is the 4th President to hold the office.  She's hand-picked her successor, Oliver Jackson.  Jackson is the current Director of the Department of Strategic Intelligence, or DSI.  He's widely considered to be a "shoo-in" win.

Japan is scheduled to hold the 2056 Olympics in Tokyo.  However, Japan (which has once again styled itself as an Imperial power) has become xenophobic and racist.  They exile any Elf, Dwarf, Ork or Troll to an island known as Yomi, Japanese for Hell.  Metahumans have no rights in Japanese society.  Several Metahuman athletes are boycotting the Games and calling on the IOOC to move the games to a different location with a better track record on metahuman rights.

Speaking of metahumans, the bill to grant a Social Identification Number and full citizenship to Dunkelzhan, the Great Dragon who awoke in Yellowstone Park, is currently moving through the UCAS legislature.  It is expected to pass, and would be the first time a Dragon has been granted citizenship in any country.

"Terrorist" attacks continue at several locations in both the UCAS and the CAS.  Most of these are chalked up as "domestic terrorism" and the news is focusing on new fringe groups popping up inside of modern society, as opposed to foreign groups.